The Summer of Opening Windows

Paul Morrone |

The Summer of Opening Windows

We suffered through a terrible winter and had a rainy, cool April and May. We all were longing for the nice weather and then finally June was fabulous and July was even better. August was pretty good as well. This has been one of those summers when opening the windows has been enjoyable and the A/C has been on only occasionally. I think back to last summer where the temperature was near or over 100 degrees for what seemed like forever. The A/C was going full blast and with that the electric meter was spinning like a top. So this year, having the windows open and seeing the curtains blowing in the wind was a welcome change.

When I was a kid, my parents had central A/C installed because of health reasons for them. Having central A/C was a big deal in those days. Well it was a big deal for them because the A/C really only worked on the first floor. We lived in a Cape Cod style house and my brothers and I had our bedrooms on the second floor and it was always hot on the second floor. Of course our parents would say something like "open the windows and let the breeze cool off the room". Yeah right. There was the attempt to get window fans but they merely blew the hot air around and made noise that kept us awake. Eventually we got window A/C units.

From another Tom's take I wrote about the summers at Lake Beseck. Well the cottage we spent our summers in was also a Cape Cod style house and my brothers and I slept upstairs there as well. Mom and dad had window A/C units on the first floor to keep everything nice and cool. Guess what they said about it being hot upstairs....yup "open the windows and let the breeze cool off the room".

Now as an adult, I love a cool house. It makes sleeping so much easier and that much more comfortable. I realize I am fortunate to have A/C and please do not take this as bragging. I just like to share stories about my life so you get to know a little more about who I am. So, now when we have beautiful weather and we open the windows to let that cool breeze through the house, I naturally reflect back to those days with mom and dad. Our children will not have the same childhood memories of sleeping on the second floor because we have a ranch style house. I hope they have some other fond memories growing up that they will write about some day.

Until the Next Tom's Take...........